Dixon Wants A Daley-edgar Contest

For starters, Dixon is trying to convince the party faithful that he still feels guilty about turning over the patronage-rich office to the Republicans in 1981 so he could become a senator. Gov. Jim Thompson promptly appointed his assistant, Jim Edgar, as Dixon`s successor. Edgar has been very effective in replacing Democratic employees with Republicans.

Edgar has demonstrated staying power. Three years ago, he defeated a popular opponent, State Treasurer Jerry Cosentino, by 233,656 votes. The Republican incumbent has already raised more than $1.5 million for his 1986 re-election effort, and is considered an early favorite to keep the job.

Indeed, an incumbent Illinois secretary of state hasn`t been defeated since Chicago Democrat Edward J. Barrett was squeezed out by Charles Carpentier in the 1952 Eisenhower landslide.

Even so, Dixon thinks Edgar could be vulnerable if the Democrats field a strong candidate. Since Edgar`s home base is Downstate Charleston, Dixon has been making the argument that a strong Chicago Democrat could roll up enough of a margin in Cook County to send the 39-year-old secretary of state into early retirement.

Daley may be the most popular political figure in Cook County. Last year, he clobbered former Chicago Police Supt. Richard Brzeczek to win re-election as state`s attorney by 640,000 votes, winning even the Republican suburbs. Several early 1987 public opinion surveys have shown Daley leading Mayor Harold Washington in mythical trial heats. If Daley took on Edgar, there is little doubt that he would give the Republican a run for his money.

Which is what Dixon is hoping for. Just as Republicans are fearful of a Dixon landslide in next year`s U.S. Senate race and of what the senator`s coattails might do to the rest of the GOP ticket, Democrats are concerned that Edgar could jeopardize their chances for attorney general, comptroller and treasurer by winning big.

Although suburban and Downstate Republican candidates traditionally have campaigned against the Chicago Democratic organization and the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, Dixon thinks the younger Daley could benefit from nostalgia for his legendary father. At the same time, Dixon waxes poetic that Rich Daley has built a solid reputation in his own right as a state legislator and state`s attorney.

If Dixon is such a big Daley fan, it may strike some observers as a bit unusual that the senator didn`t help Daley in the 1983 Democratic mayoral primary. But Dixon, who is from Belleville, had little incentive to intervene in the Chicago election. As the most influential Downstate political leader, Dixon has had a major influence on the shaping of recent statewide Democratic tickets.

The only problem with Dixon`s 1986 scenario is that Daley`s ambitions are still local. In the unlikely event that former Mayor Jane Byrne dropped her 1987 comeback bid, Daley probably would challenge Mayor Washington`s re-election. Daley is also a probable future contender for the Cook County Board presidency in the post-George Dunne era. But the durable Dunne, a longtime Daley ally, has indicated that he will seek re-election next year for another four-year term.

All things considered, Daley prefers his current office to being secretary of state. If he sought statewide office, the attorney generalship would be a more attractive prospect for him. But Daley is in no hurry to make such a move.

Meanwhile, Dixon still has to find a candidate for secretary of state. Ald. Joe Kotlarz (35th Ward), who has won against tough odds in his previous political races, has emerged as Edgar`s most likely opponent and is putting together an impressive campaign team with U.S. Sen. Paul Simon as chairman and State Rep. Alfred Ronan (D., Chicago) as chief political operative. Eddie Howlett, son of popular former Secretary of State Michael Howlett, is also seeking the nomination.

But the Democrat who is still most identified with the secretary of state`s office and would have the best chance of ousting Edgar is the man who gave him the office in the first place.